It’s hard to believe that fifteen years have passed since The River released their iconic fourth demo. Back in 2005, they also made the long pilgrimage to The Chapel at Doom Shall Rise and aired these same songs from “Different Ways To Be Haunted” with heartfelt conviction. Shortly after having met them at that performance in Germany, I interviewed the band for Pariah Child #2. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship with these inventive musicians.

Looking back now, they probably played a more potent and intimate set on the Belfast leg of their UK tour with Warning and Against Nature. Similarly, some perhaps prefer the revamped versions that graced “Drawing Down The Sun” or the retelling of “Opaque” from their third demo on the second album. Whatever way you look at it though, the songs have weathered well and as much as I still deeply cherish both records it’s particularly “Different Ways…” that moves me most. That was the genesis for compiling this demo collection. Now both “Oneric Dirges In Mono” and “Different Ways…” have enjoyed a beefy remastering. Recorded the year between them, the first and unreleased take of “Alone With My Thoughts” has been included as a bonus. Do also bear in mind that “White Library” appears nowhere else in their discography and if that were still not enough, the spirit of the collective demo artwork has been fused for the special occasion. This is The River as they were. We hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane…

https://riverbanduk.bandcamp.com/album/different-dirges-03-05?utm_content=fanpub_fb&utm_campaign=riverbanduk%20album%20different-dirges-03-05&utm_source=album_release&utm_medium=email